Day description
♦ Day 1: Arrival Merauke - Tour around town
Arrival in Merauke and transfer to your hotel. We will stay in the best hotel available in town. After a rest, we will go on a tour to the surroundings of Merauke. The town was a militair base established by the Dutch in 1902 and lies on the southern coast of Papua. We will visit Wasur national park, the Serengeti of Papua. Here we will see giant ant hills and a beautiful flora and fauna. The park is home to 358 bird species of which 80 species are endemic to the island.
Accommodation: Swiss Bel Merauke
♦ Day 2: Flight to Kepi - continue to Yaniruma (B.L.D.)
In the morning we leave to the airport and continue by small airplane to Kepi. This flight is estimate to depart around 10.00 AM (subject to change). We will fly mainly above swamp area over lowland forests and after a 45 minutes flight we can see the small town of Kepi below us. Upon arrival in Kepi we will buy our last food supplies for our adventure into the Korowai territories. We will use a small speedboat that is flexible and light enough to manoeuvre through the challenging swamp areas and rivers. We will reach Senggo where we can have a short break before we continue to Basman. If the river tide is low, we will have to overnight in Basman and continue to Yaniruma the next day. If the river tide is high, we will continue by small local long boat to Yaniruma and overnight in one of the Korowai settlements. In Yaniruma we will be able to see a high tree house.
The trip of today will be tired and long, but the scenery rewarding. Along the way from Kepi to Yaniruma we will have the chance to see the local people with their local daily activities such as fishing and we will pass exotic swamp sugar canes.
Accommodation: Korowai Settlement or Local House
♦ Day 3: Tree House / Korowai tribal communities (B.L.D.)
Today wil will trek to Mu village which takes approx. 3 hours. The trek is through lowland forest and swampy terrains. We will visit Janger village and overnight in a jungle camp near the tree houses of the Korowai Tribes. Here we will join and learn the local life style of the Korowai Tribes, that still live very traditional and are fully dependent on the forest. They did not know about a world beyond them, until 1970.
Accommodation: Korowai Settlement
♦ Day 4: Korowai Tribes and Daily Activities (B.L.D.)
Today we will join the Korowai people in their daily activities in their forest, with one of the highlight to see the traditional preparation of the Sago palm processing. A full day to learn, join and live alongside these beautiful peoples.
Accommodation: Korowai Settlement
♦ Day 5: Back to Kepi (B.L.D.)
From Janger village, we will make a trekking back to Basman and head back to Kepi. We will overnight in the best accommodation available in Kepi, a standard hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel Avista - Best Room
♦ Day 6: Flight to Merauke (B.)
Transfer to Airport Kepi and flight with small aircraft back to Merauke. From Merauke a short transfer to your hotel. You will stay in a good western hotel with good facilities.
Accommodation: Swiss Bel Hotel - Superior Room
♦ Day 7: Transfer to Airport (B.)
